Burial-vault.



W. C.' REINMILLER & L. CAMPBELL. BURIAL VAULT.

APPLIGATION FILED AUG. 22,1908.

912,414. Patented Feb. 16, 1909.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM C. REINMILLER AND FRANK L. CAMPBELL, OF ATLANTA, ILLINOIS.

BURIAL-VAULT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 16, 1909.

Application filed. August 22, 1908. Serial No. 449,841.

. ing is a specication.

This invention relates to burial vaults, and has for its object toprovide a portable burial vault which will be air and water tight, thevault being of that type which is open at the bottom to permit theinsertion of the casket, and air tight so that when set in place, waterwill not rise into the air space within the same, and consequently thecasket will loe kept from water, being suspended in the air space freefrom contact with the ground.

With these and other advantages in view, the invention is illustrated inthe accompanying drawings in which- Figure l is a perspective view ofthe eX- terior of the vault; Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional viewillustrating the manner of its use.

The vault consists of a casing open at the bottom and preferably made inone piece of cement, molded to the desired shape, the particular shapebeing immaterial. This vault so molded is indicated at 6. Its sides areinclined outwardly and downwardly and it is open at the bottom to permitthe casket 7 to be inserted within the same. The wall of the mold may bemade solely of cement, or the cement may be molded over a sheet metalplate or form 8, the latter being preferable, as the vault will therebybe made more airtight than if cement alone is used.

The casket is suspended within the vault by means of metal hooks 9 whichare fasi tened at their upper ends in or to the inside of the vault andtheir hooked lower ends are properly positioned to catch under the edgeof the casket. A suiiicient number of these hooks are used to supportthe casket, and, as

will be seen, they hold the same some distance above the lower edge ofthe vault. The casket may be conveniently inserted in the vault byblocking up the former and then lowering the vault over the same, untilthe hooks, which may be made of strap met-al of su'liicient strength,engage under the lower edge of the casket. The casket will then besuspended within the vault, and in position to be lowered into thegrave. For this purpose the vault is provided on the top with loops l0through which straps or loops may be put, and held at opposite sides ofthe grave.

As shown in Fig. 2 the bottom of the grave is preferably provided with alayer of sand Il, and when the vault is lowered into the grave the loweredge thereof will seat or enter into the sand, which will exclude verminof various kinds. The entrance of water is prevented by the air confinedin the space in the vault, and the casket thus remains suspended in anair space and free from the injurious action of the earth and fromvarious other disadvantages attending the covering of a casket withearth. The casket will also be practically inaccessible and protectedfrom grave robbers.

vWe claim:

A burial vault consisting of a casing with top and side walls molded ofcement in one piece and open at the bottom, and hangers attached attheir upper ends to the side walls of the casing and depending withinthe same and having hooked lower ends, to support the casket.

In testimony whereof, we aHiX our signatures in presence of twowitnesses.

TWILLIAM( C. REINMILLER. FRANK L. CAMPBELL.

litnesses J. L. PERRY, M. M. HoosE.

